'But Joy Will Come In The Morning' Book Two - sequel to 'We May Weep For A Time' by Sarah Ashlyn
Emotional, Engaging, Eloquent
‘But Joy Shall Come In The Morning’, Book Two, sequel to ‘We May Weep For A Time’ by Sarah Ashlyn aka Kimberly Thames 
Leah had had a tumultuous and traumatic twelve months in which she had not spoken with either her parents, Luke or her nephews and nieces. She hadn’t wanted them to know what she had done that had brought her to her current situation and things had been left awkwardly with both parties. Her only friend, Emma, lived in the same apartment block, and Emma had also experienced a tragedy in the last year, which Leah blamed herself for entirely. Then there was the devastation that Leah knew she had yet to face and assumed that her forthcoming ordeal was penance for what she’d done to others. This was to start sooner than she had expected. However, as well as the expected sorrow and despair, with it comes an unanticipated ‘reaching out’ from those closest to her. Despite Leah’s faith having been sorely tested in recent times, would divine intervention offer her a way back to what she truly knew and where she felt safe? 
I read Sarah Ashlyn’s first book ‘We May Weep For A Time’ earlier this year and was impressed with the depth of the narrative. I loved how it followed Luke from childhood into adulthood, and the various events that happened to him along the way. The culmination of that novel, to me, was a major cliff hanger, promising a dramatic repeat of what happened to Luke and his family when he was a child, which was written so well the first time, that I eagerly anticipated what it would bring. However, I expected more to be made of the implied event. The details are glossed over except for one event used to explain Leah’s change of location during that time, and I felt that this novel was missing the drama that the other had had in spades. To have ended the first book on such a climatic note, and then not made an event of it in the second, felt a bit futile.
This instalment focuses on Leah, Luke’s sister in law, filling us in on her last year from where the last book left off, which is essentially the dramatic part of the narrative, but as it is all told in past tense, it doesn’t feel maybe as powerful as it could have, had it been written in present tense. It was delightful to have all the characters brought back, apart from Luke’s brother and his grandmother. This story as with the last, has a feel of being set in the 1930’s/40’s with the insular lifestyle that Abigail and Karalynn inhabit. I had to keep reminding myself that this was 1991. To me, it has a ‘Waltons’, ‘Little House On The Prairie’ vibe, but that could just be the point of view of a British reader. 
What Leah has gone through is shocking, but demonstrates her strength of character, which as we learnt, is extremely stubborn and independent. Therefore, it was slightly hard to believe that she would have fallen for a man such as Jason, but then, it does happen. I thought what she proceeds to experience was well written and detailed by the author, and you do really feel the strength of Leah’s emotions all the way through the book. I didn’t really understand why it was specified that there were no sonogram pictures and felt that surely this would have been carried out to provide Leah with memories unless it was something that she didn’t want. 
The plot line behind the creation of Jason, Jeremy and Emma was well composed. I liked Jeremy and admired his selfless actions, but thought Emma to be quite self-centred to not think of the reasons behind Jeremy’s words, or how hard it might have been for Jesse going forward, only to think of herself, living in a degree of denial. This attitude I think is also demonstrated in the way that she isn’t exactly demonstratively grateful when it comes to accepting the Wilder’s hospitality and the sacrifices in their lives that they were prepared to make for her. When Abigail offers assistance with Jesse, I was surprised at the lack of competence that Emma seemed to demonstrate or even the level of willingness to deal with something that was her responsibility. Leah is clearly a very good friend to her but I am not sure that at times it is reciprocated at the same level.
The relationship between Leah and Luke is a little frustrating. Luke had his reasons for not returning Leah’s feelings when she made them clear all those months ago, and it is understandable that she is not ready after all she has been through. Plus, there is the family dynamic to think of, but after Wilder makes it clear how much he misses Susan and needs Leah, I thought she was quite harsh in the way that she handled the five-year-old. That scene made me want to pick Wilder up and hug him. 
Luke seemed very keen to move Emma to Tears Valley as a tactical move to push Leah to do the same, but then I think he grows tired of the time the women spend together. I think he thought that Emma would be more independent and that he would be able to spend time with Leah. There are definitely signs of jealously early on that are eventually expressed and perhaps not received as compassionately as they might have been. 
When Leah gets the phone call about Emma and asks to borrow Luke’s truck, Luke acknowledges that she isn’t supposed to be driving and I was surprised that he didn’t offer to take her. I would have thought he would have put her health first, ahead of his petty rivalry with her friend.
There is a lot of focus on ‘looking back’ and reference to previous times and the ways in which previous generations behaved. Lessons to learn for the current generation, include, the way that Luke acknowledges a need to not make the same mistakes with Wilder as he did with Ty. Whilst, this was indeed an essential part of the story, I do feel that this theme, was repeated quite a lot throughout.
When Luke visits Leah in the hospital, he tells the nurse that he isn’t family, yet in quite a number of instances after, both Luke and Leah acknowledge that they are family. Luke’s children are Leah’s nephew and nieces. As Leah’s brother in law, he is still family regardless of whether Susan is still alive or not, so this puzzled me.
When Luke wants to clear Ty’s room, so as not to show emotion in front of his children with it being seen as a sign of weakness, the author then goes on say that with Leah’s help, Luke had come to accept that emotion was a sign of strength. Involving the kids could have been therapeutic for them. It was nice that it gave him time to reflect though. What he finds in Tyler’s room was a good way of giving Luke some sort of closure.
As in the first book, it was heart-warming to experience how the family really love and care for one another and are always willing to go the extra mile for each other, which was tangibly written. I liked the way that Luke finally realises through Leah that his girls have sacrificed much of their lives for their family and at that age, should have other interests. I did think that to some extent, he had already come around to this idea some time before. I look forward to seeing the characters of Abigail and Karalynn develop. This book also ends on a cliff hanger that is unrelated to anything that has happened previously. I am pleasantly surprised that this storyline is being continued and will maybe turn out to be a trilogy or a series.
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